Farm & Ranch
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch…
By Rayford Pullen | [email protected]
As usual, it has been one long winter, but if I climb on top of the overhead feed bin, I think I can see spring headed our way. With winter following another drought and hay supplies once again short, standing forage short and supplemental protein high, it seems as though our overhead costs just keep going up. Thank goodness the cattle prices are keeping pace with our expenses, and with the cow herd down another two percent this year things are still looking favorable on the horizon.
We doubled our overseeding of annual grasses in our pastures this past fall that will ultimately allow us to give our perennial pastures a break by letting us concentrate more cows on fewer acres until the first of June or so and maybe let our pastures get a little rest and get ahead of the cows. Ultimately, we are only as smart as the rainfall and cattle markets let us be, but with winter in our rearview mirror, our forages will now be able to get our cattle back in good shape, rebred and provide the nutrients to get our calves growing, our cows providing milk and everything going in our favor.
To read more, pick up a copy of the March issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Heather Welper
Husband and wife duo, Heather and Calvin Welper, are the Co-Owners and Operators or Two C Livestock, located in Valley View, Texas.
The pair’s operation has a show cattle focus where they raise and sell purebred heifers of all breeds and club calf Hereford steers.
When it comes to show cattle, the Welpers know a thing or two including how to prepare for the cold winter months and the Texas major show season run.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Hannah Claxton, Editor
As the sun rises each day, so do the dozens of mouths that Meghan McGovern is responsible for getting fed. Rather than the sounds of a rooster crowing, McGovern hears the bellows and bleats of a variety of exotic deer, the chortle of kangaroos, the grunts of water buffaloes, and the chirps of a lemur.
Nestled against the banks of the Red River, the Double M Ranch and Rescue, with its high game fences and deer sprinkling the landscape,s its in stark contrast to the surrounding ranches.
“Having deer is kind of like eating potato chips- you can never actually have just one,” said McGovern with a laugh.
McGovern has several herds to take care of- fallow deer, axis deer, water buffalo, goats, and bison. In smaller numbers, there’s also a few kangaroos, a lemur, a potbelly pig, a pair of zebras, a watusi, and a few horses.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM, MPH
With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma end up in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods.
If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock in the fall. This may result in oak poisoning.
Oak leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed.
To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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